Cooperative transport by flocking phototactic micromotors

Jianhua Zhang; Fangzhi Mou; Zhen Wu; Jiaqi Song; Joshua E. Kauffman; Ayusman Sen; Jianguo Guan

doi:10.1039/d1na00641j

Cooperative transport by flocking phototactic micromotors

Jianhua Zhang, Fangzhi Mou, Zhen Wu, Jiaqi Song, Joshua E. Kauffman, Ayusman Sen, Jianguo Guan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Cargo delivery by micro/nanomotors provides enormous opportunities for micromanipulation, environmental cleaning, drug delivery, etc. However, due to the limited driving force, it is usually difficult for single micro/nanomotors to transport cargoes much larger or heavier than themselves. Here, we demonstrate that flocking phototactic TiO2 micromotors can cooperatively transport multiple and different types of large cargoes based on light-responsive diffusiophoresis. Utilizing spontaneous diffusiophoretic attraction, flocking TiO2 micromotors can load large cargoes. Under UV light navigation, flocking TiO2 micromotors cooperatively carry and transport cargoes via collective diffusiophoretic repulsion in open space or complex microenvironments. After reaching the destination, the carried cargoes can also be unloaded from the flock and be deployed at a predetermined destination by disassembling or reversing the flock. This study may pave the way for developing intelligent swarming micro/nanorobots for cooperative targeting micromanipulation and advancing their applications in drug delivery and microengineering.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	6157-6163
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nanoscale Advances
Volume	3
Issue number	21
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/d1na00641j
State	Published - Nov 7 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Bioengineering
Chemistry(all)
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Materials Science(all)
Engineering(all)

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10.1039/d1na00641j

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title = "Cooperative transport by flocking phototactic micromotors",

abstract = "Cargo delivery by micro/nanomotors provides enormous opportunities for micromanipulation, environmental cleaning, drug delivery, etc. However, due to the limited driving force, it is usually difficult for single micro/nanomotors to transport cargoes much larger or heavier than themselves. Here, we demonstrate that flocking phototactic TiO2 micromotors can cooperatively transport multiple and different types of large cargoes based on light-responsive diffusiophoresis. Utilizing spontaneous diffusiophoretic attraction, flocking TiO2 micromotors can load large cargoes. Under UV light navigation, flocking TiO2 micromotors cooperatively carry and transport cargoes via collective diffusiophoretic repulsion in open space or complex microenvironments. After reaching the destination, the carried cargoes can also be unloaded from the flock and be deployed at a predetermined destination by disassembling or reversing the flock. This study may pave the way for developing intelligent swarming micro/nanorobots for cooperative targeting micromanipulation and advancing their applications in drug delivery and microengineering.",

author = "Jianhua Zhang and Fangzhi Mou and Zhen Wu and Jiaqi Song and Kauffman, {Joshua E.} and Ayusman Sen and Jianguo Guan",

note = "Funding Information: Fangzhi Mou and Jianguo Guan are grateful for the nancial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21875175, 52073222 and 51521001) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (2019CFA048). Jiaqi Song, Joshua E. Kauffman and Ayusman Sen acknowledge nancial support by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (DOE-DE-SC0020964). Jianhua Zhang acknowledges the Scholarship Fund from the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

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AU - Sen, Ayusman

AU - Guan, Jianguo

N1 - Funding Information: Fangzhi Mou and Jianguo Guan are grateful for the nancial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21875175, 52073222 and 51521001) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (2019CFA048). Jiaqi Song, Joshua E. Kauffman and Ayusman Sen acknowledge nancial support by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (DOE-DE-SC0020964). Jianhua Zhang acknowledges the Scholarship Fund from the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Publisher Copyright: © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

PY - 2021/11/7

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N2 - Cargo delivery by micro/nanomotors provides enormous opportunities for micromanipulation, environmental cleaning, drug delivery, etc. However, due to the limited driving force, it is usually difficult for single micro/nanomotors to transport cargoes much larger or heavier than themselves. Here, we demonstrate that flocking phototactic TiO2 micromotors can cooperatively transport multiple and different types of large cargoes based on light-responsive diffusiophoresis. Utilizing spontaneous diffusiophoretic attraction, flocking TiO2 micromotors can load large cargoes. Under UV light navigation, flocking TiO2 micromotors cooperatively carry and transport cargoes via collective diffusiophoretic repulsion in open space or complex microenvironments. After reaching the destination, the carried cargoes can also be unloaded from the flock and be deployed at a predetermined destination by disassembling or reversing the flock. This study may pave the way for developing intelligent swarming micro/nanorobots for cooperative targeting micromanipulation and advancing their applications in drug delivery and microengineering.

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Cooperative transport by flocking phototactic micromotors

Abstract

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